Marquis de Sade: Justine (1969)

Marquis de Sade: Justine (1969) is directed by cult-kook Jesus Franco, and based on the Marquis de Sade's 1791 novel Justine. But don't expect any highbrow stuff here. The film stars Klaus Kinski as the man behind S&M, and features a notorious drunken performance by Jack Palance as a priest who likes to inflict pain on young women. Justine (Romina Power) and her sister Juliette (Maria Rohm) are orphaned when their dad dies, and after fighting off some frisky nuns, are told to hit the skids by he ladies of the cloth, and end up resorting to prostitution. Juliette's a lot cooler with turning tricks than Justine, who refuses to comply, though even Juliette ends up murdering a John and running off with his money. Justine ends up a fugitive after a maid gig goes bad, and can't seem to find a good place to hideout that doesn't want her to be a sex slave for them. But don't worry for our girl, since Juliette's been climbing that societal ladder by climbing on top of any powerful cock she comes across, and is now making money as a rich dude's mistress. Soon enough she'll swoop in to save her sis. But in the end, was the sister constantly suffering while trying to remain pure the one who did it right, or was the perpetual survivor sucking off sons of noblemen the smart one? Based on the novel of a naïve girl's descent into the joys of masochism, Zorro himself, Tyrone Power's daughter Romina Power is smackingly hot in the lead, although Franco absolutely hated her. You'll be smacking, too, when she flashes her nubile boobiles and seat bunnies for a puffy shirt wearing perv, or when she's tied up and tortured in the buff. We want to sympathize instead of fantazise, but we're powerless in the face of that perky pair of Powers! As her slutty sister, Maria Rohm exposes her jugs and even a brief pubic flash while drowning Rosemary Dexter in a lake. What a shame, just a few scenes before that one they were having a topless chat in bed, together. Sylva Koscina bathes with stubborn rose petals that (almost) obscure her buds, and Rosalba Neri sports the latest fetish gear (a breast-free robe) while suspended in irons. Put that shot on the marquee! If this is what Sade meant by inflicting pain, then bring it on! We'll happily pulverize our peen to Justine!